Earth, water, wind, fire and crazy costumes: Welcome to the 18th annual Life Ball in Vienna. This year’s gala was themed after the four elements and titled “Sow the Seeds of Solidarity.” The party coincided with the opening of the International AIDS Conference and raised $1.9 million for HIV/AIDS-related causes.

From left to right: 1. Burlesque artist Dita Von Teese and John Demsey, chairman of the M·A·C AIDS Fund. 2. Guests hit the dance floor in feathered headresses. 3. Whoopi Goldberg, one of this year’s guests of honor, takes in the spectacle. 4. Life Ball organizer Gery Keszler and Kenneth Cole, one of three designers to deck out a special-edition MINI convertible for an amfAR auction. 5. Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O’Connell. 6. German musical star Uwe Kröger, Austrian TV host Mirjam Weichselbraun and Christopher Wolf (Kröger’s partner). 7. President Bill Clinton and POZ editor-in-chief Regan Hofmann. 8. A few of the non-celeb guests who strictly adhered to the Life Ball Style Guide Bible walk the red carpet.9. Fashion icon Diane von Furstenberg, another special-edition MINI convertible designer, flashes a catwalk-ready smile.